2012 Most Fascinating: Street Art in Paris

Street artist Jace has been given reign over Le M.U.R., the project which revolves around a three by eight metre billboad set aside by the city council for the purpose of promoting street art.

The artist who has been doing graffiti since 1989, famous for his Gouzou, a special character that can be found all around the tropical island and French protectorate, Reunion Island, put up his design yesterday afternoon at the wall on the corner of rue Oberkampf and rue Saint-Maur in the 11th Arrondissement.

Jace’s gouzou are often placed in absurd, funny situations and you will find them all over the world including in Madagascar, Mauritius, and Bali, and now on Le Mur.

Recently the character was ripped off by a large Chinese brand to promote their products, but luckily the Chinese authorities gave Jace back control of the gouzou and it has become a jurisprudence case for author’s rights in China.

Tell us a little about your artistic background and what inspired you to first start painting stencils, and become a street artist?

Street art came late for me, as I began stencilling in 1993, in order to have artworks from Klimt or Paolo Uccello, rather than the usual posters which I found silly and too far away from the painting. So basically I studied Philosophy at the Sorbonne for five years, and a bit of art history, after, and before having all kinds of jobs, from waiter to train cleaner, teacher for violent children. I began to paint in the street, half legally always, in 2003. I was already painting walls, but in the squats in Paris where I used to live.

What prompts you to paint work in the street?

The street is more than a canvas and it doesn’t have borders actually so it’s like a huge collective work changing everyday and mixed with architecture and all the urban things. I like to paint in the countryside too. But I don’t like spraying everywhere like so many do, just for fame and pretending they do the revolution as they just want to sell their stuff, like every artist must.

Tell us a little about your artistic background and what inspired you to first start painting stencils, and become a street artist?

Street art came late for me, as I began stencilling in 1993, in order to have artworks from Klimt or Paolo Uccello, rather than the usual posters which I found silly and too far away from the painting. So basically I studied Philosophy at the Sorbonne for five years, and a bit of art history, after, and before having all kinds of jobs, from waiter to train cleaner, teacher for violent children. I began to paint in the street, half legally always, in 2003. I was already painting walls, but in the squats in Paris where I used to live.

What prompts you to paint work in the street?

The street is more than a canvas and it doesn’t have borders actually so it’s like a huge collective work changing everyday and mixed with architecture and all the urban things. I like to paint in the countryside too. But I don’t like spraying everywhere like so many do, just for fame and pretending they do the revolution as they just want to sell their stuff, like every artist must. Read More…